


We can wait 'til tomorrow

by fallenflowercrowns (meggiewrites)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 15 year old Harry, 17 year old louis, Alternate Universe, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Louis' stickman tattoo, M/M, No really he is, Pining Harry, This is fluff, and stars, badboy louis, there's a stolen car, with a tiny bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-08
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 16:25:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1435024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meggiewrites/pseuds/fallenflowercrowns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry thinks he’s lost Louis forever. Turns out, he’s wrong.</p><p>Or, Harry pines hoplessly after his best friend who he thinks rejected him, Louis turns up under his window one night. They go on an adventure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We can wait 'til tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably the cheesiest thing I've ever written.
> 
> Many thanks and kisses to Jordan, Rachel and Erica. Love you.

Harry can’t recall when he first fell in love with Louis Tomlinson. Maybe when he was six and watched an older boy with brown hair and scraped knees kicking a ball around the street. Maybe when Louis asked him to join and didn’t make fun of him when it turned out that Harry was actually atrocious at football. Maybe later, when they both entered their teens and Louis told him about his first crush, leaving Harry feeling gutted. Honestly, he wasn’t able to pinpoint one certain situation or day. It just kinda happened over the nine years they’ve been best friends.

However, Harry remembers clearly when he first realized that he’d fallen for Louis. They sneaked out of a big start-of-the-summer party hosted by his parents. Louis had stolen a bottle of wine, and the boys were hiding out in Harry’s room. Louis looked amazing then, staring out of the window.

“Look at the stars Haz. They’re so, so beautiful, don’t you think? It is kind of sad though, being so alone. So much distance in between you and the next of your kind.”

Harry just listened, mesmerized. Louis had always enjoyed talking about stars, a quite different interest for the boy who loved football and video games.

_“Do you see that star up there? The one that shines so brightly? That is our star, Harry, shining only for you and me.”_

“I want to kiss you.” The younger boy immediately blushed red, covering his face with both hands, embarrassed by the words that had slipped out of his mouth.

But when Louis just smirked and leaned over, tugging Harry’s hands away and pressing their lips together, Harry was sure that he loved Louis. _Loved_ -loved him.

It felt like a shooting star. Harry’d never seen one before, but he was sure kissing Louis felt like that.

They didn’t talk any more that night. Harry had curled up in Louis’ arms, a few moments later they both drifted off to sleep. 

Louis was gone the next morning, his spot next to Harry empty and cold. When Harry ran down the stairs to ask his mum if Louis’ family was still here, because he knew the Tomlinsons would leave for the summer that day, Anne denied it.

Louis had left without saying goodbye.

Over the next few days, Harry sent him countless texts, the heavy disappointed feeling in his stomach becoming bigger with every one that was left unanswered. After eight days he gave up. 

 

 

It’s been a bit over three weeks now. It is late in the evening and Harry has just shut down his laptop, turning off the lights.

He lays in his bed, completely still, eyes wide open. The faint moonlight is flooding the room. He always leaves the curtains open, ever since he and Louis started gazing at the stars together. They made up stories about them, named them.

_“Have you ever seen a shooting star, Hazza?”_

_“No.”_

_“Me neither.”_

Harry looks at their star, can’t help but think that it is less bright, just like it feels that his connection with Louis is slowly but surely fading. It used to remind him of the way Louis’ eyes shine when he’s happy. Now it only reminds him of heartbreak.

The silence is almost unbearable, weighing down on Harry’s chest.

“What’s wrong?” his mum asked earlier today, probably wondering why her son was never really smiling anymore. He just shrugged. 

A soft ‘pling’ comes from the window. Harry shoots out of bed immediately. It takes him mere seconds to get to the window, and just as he’s pushing it open, a tiny pebble hits his forehead. He swears under his breath, rubbing his hand over where the missile made its impact.

Then he glances down. 

Louis is there, looking up at him, and Harry’s stupid heart starts beating way too fast in his chest. The older boy visibly lights up when he spots Harry hovering in the window.

“What are you doing?!” Harry whisper-yells, trying to keep his voice down, glad to see him again but no less confused at the way he just showed up like that. 

“Come down!” Louis looks excited, almost bouncing up and down. 

Harry rolls his eyes. No one but his best friend would turn up at midnight at someone’s house unannounced and demand anyone to come with them. Most people probably wouldn’t comply. But Harry is Harry and Louis is Louis; they’ve done this before, sneaking out at night, so the younger boy only grabs a hoodie from the pile of clothes next to his bed and makes his way down the stairs, as quietly as possible.

The front door creaks when Harry shuts it behind him, and for a second he freezes, fearing his parents will wake up.

But after a minute everything is still quiet and Harry lets out a relieved breath, jogging over to where Louis is standing.

“Hi!” His friend is grinning from ear to ear, immediately wrapping Harry up in a tight hug. He smells like dusk and washed clothes. Like home.

“Lou, what are you _doing_ here?!” Harry stutters out once Louis finally let him go.

The older boy shrugs. “Wanted to see you. Now come on, Harold, the night won’t wait for us! We’re going on an adventure!”

Harry wants to ask. Wants to desperately ask why Louis just left after they kissed. Why he hasn’t answered any of his texts. But Louis slings an arm around him and he doesn’t. 

 

 

Louis guides him to a car that Harry’s seen before. It’s Louis’ grandfather’s old, beat up truck. 

“Lou! You’re not even legal to drive yet!” 

Louis hums, and opens the door for Harry. Harry of course gives in and plummets down into the soft car seat. He knows that Louis is able to drive, has listened to him boasting about how his dad taught him way too often not to, was even in the car once with Louis driving, even though Mark had been with them then.

The engine roars and the old piece of metal comes alive. Louis drives fast, probably over the speed limit in their small neighbourhood, but he is a secure driver, steady hands gripping the steering wheel.

They don’t talk, they windows are rolled down, and Harry sticks his head out into the headwind. Louis hasn’t stopped humming. Harry doesn’t recognize the song. 

He is to first one to break the silence “Doesn’t your grandpa need the truck?”

“He’s dead asleep, so I’d reckon no.” Louis has his eyes trained on the barely illuminated road.

“Hm. Does he know you’ve stolen his car?”

Louis huffs and turns to look at Harry, eyebrows raised “I haven’t _stolen_ it, I _borrowed_ it! It and meself will be back tomorrow, no harm done.” 

He is full on smirking at Harry now, daring him to say something. Harry rolls his eyes.

“What, Curly? You’ve got something to say?”

Harry snorts and lets out a giggle. Sassy Lou, they call him at school. God, Harry’s missed him. 

They stop in front of the small store that is open 24/7. Louis ushers him inside, giggling when he sees Harry’s confused face.

“I told ya, Curly, I’m taking you on an adventure!” He tugs at Harry’s arm, passing the aisle where they stock the beer.

“No alcohol tonight?” Louis ignores him and guides him over to where the milkshakes are. 

The younger boy furrows his eyebrows. “Your adventure contains late night milkshakes?”

“Why, of course, young Harold!” Louis winks at him, smirking.

They order two chocolate shakes, Louis picking a pink straw for Harry and a red one for himself. When Harry tells him that he has no money, Louis pulls out a few pounds and shushes him. “This is me providing my best friend in the whole wide world with a splendid night. So it is my duty to cover the costs.”

Harry can’t contain a giggle “You’re such a dork.”

Louis flicks the back of his head. Not too hard, though.

They walk down the street, Louis’ arm slung around Harry’s small shoulders, both sipping their milkshakes.

Louis chats on about his holiday, how his grandma is getting more forgetful with every day, the dog that his grandpa insists on buying, even though his wife is strictly against it. How much his sisters love it there.

He doesn’t mention what happened before they left, and Harry should be angry at him, but isn’t. This is _Louis_ , the boy who has been his best friend forever, the boy who can make him smile in every situation possible. The boy he loves. 

And Louis looks happy and excited and has an arm wrapped around Harry and Harry can’t help feeling a little happy too. He pushes the dark thoughts to the back of his mind. Talking can wait. He has his Louis back, and that’s the one thing that matters right now.

  

 

It is quiet in the small town, almost no one out this early on a Tuesday morning. The only noise comes from a shop at the end of the street. 

It’s a small tattoo parlour, illuminated by a bunch of fairy lights. In front of it, a couple of people are sitting around a tiny campfire, talking and laughing. 

The younger boy startled when he hears someone call out, “Harry?”

One of the men gets up, and oh, Harry knows this guy. He started babysitting this summer, and made good friends with a lovely woman called Lou Teasdale, who was elated to see someone to get on that well with her two year old daughter. The man who’s now coming towards them is Lou’s husband, Tom. He is grinning at the boys.

“Hi! Surprised to see you here at this time of the day, Harry!”

Harry beams at him. “Hi Tom! This… this is my friend, Louis.”

“The famous Louis! Harry talks about you quite often.” Tom winks at Louis, who looks utterly confused by the whole exchange.

“You know this guy?” he whispers at Harry.

Harry grins. “Yeah, started babysitting his daughter Lux a few weeks ago.”

“Harry! Darling!” A lilac-haired woman makes her way to them.

Harry perks up even more. “Lou, hey!” 

She gives him a proper squeeze, then turns to muster Louis. “Louis, hmm? It’s nice to finally meet the boy who has our Hazza’s head all up in the clouds.” Harry shoots a deadly glare at her, but Louis only chuckles.

“Well what can I say, no one resists the Tommo charm – not even my curly haired friend over here!”

Lou laughs, patting Louis’ arm “I like this one, you can keep him.”

Harry blushes only a little bit.

  

 

They sit with Lou, Tom and their friends for quite a while. After about half an hour Lou and the others leave, leaving the boys alone with Tom. 

“Well lads, I still have to close up the shop. You could help me, if you want?” he probably noticed the way Harry curiously eyed the small establishment.

Harry nods eagerly, tugging Louis along with him, up a few steps and into the parlour. The walls are covered in pencil and ink sketches, and photographs of skin covered in black ink. Even here, the ceiling is covered in fairy lights in various colours. Harry gazes up at them, reminded of the starry night sky he likes so much. 

Louis on the other hand seems to be sceptically eyeing the sketches on the wall, known for not liking tattoos half as much as Harry, and suddenly Harry is sparked with a crazy idea. 

“Tom?” he turns to face the man who is busy putting away some phials filled with ink “could you give one of us a tattoo?” 

Tom raises an eyebrow “Well I sure _could_ but you know that’s not actually legal. Especially you Harry, you’re only fifteen, and frankly still look quite young. And don’t get me wrong, you’re my friend, but I don’t want any angry mothers knocking at my door.” 

Harry then turns to Louis who is gaping at him, eyes big like saucers “Lou could get one! He looks old enough to pull it off! And we wouldn’t sue you and Louis’ mum would be cool with it!”

That is probably a bit far-fetched; Jay would probably be angry first, but Harry’s probably right in his assumption that she wouldn’t be too cross.

Louis splatters, wildly gesturing with his hands “What?! Harry! No way, I am not getting a tattoo! I don’t even like ‘em!” 

“But Louuu, _I_ like them and it’d suit you so much!” Harry is properly whining now, presenting him with his best puppy face.

Louis looks at him with that look that says ‘I am not giving in, I am not giving in’ but then his shoulders sag. “Ugh, fine.” 

Tom can’t stop grinning, whispering, “You’ve got him whipped!” under his hand when Louis is once again looking at the sketches. 

The design Louis chooses is simple and quite a lot smaller than Harry hoped (because Louis with a tattoo – how hot will that be?). It’s a stickman with a skateboard and Harry giggles for a whole five minutes when he first sees the layout, because it’s just so _Louis_.

“Shut up!” Louis grits at him through his teeth while Tom first places the needle on his skin “And come over here and hold my hand, ouch, bloody hell, that hurts!”

Harry lets Louis grip his hand while Tom is etching the stickman into his right forearm. Louis flinches every few seconds, lips pressed tightly together, eyes looking teary. 

It takes about twenty minutes, then Louis’ tattoo is done, and the older boy is scrunching up his face because it apparently hurt a lot more than he anticipated. After it is safely wrapped up, Tom quickly ushers them out “I want to get home to my wife and daughter, and you two younglings should go home too.”

Louis still looks a bit in pain when they’re out on the street again, walking back to the car. Harry starts chuckling again. 

“What?” Louis hisses.

“You were such a baby, Lou.” 

Louis snorts in annoyance “Do you have a tattoo? No. So shut up, I’m way more badass than you. Also, Tom said I looked old enough to not get carded for a tattoo. I have a tattoo. Bad. Ass.” He accentuates every word with poking his finger into Harry’s chest.

When Harry opens his mouth to argue that it was _he_ who convinced him to get it in the first place, and that it was _he_ who said the thing about Louis’ age, but Louis presses a finger on his lips and shushes him. Harry can’t help but roll his eyes at his stubborn idiot of a best friend. 

It feels easy, being with Louis again. It feels like nothing has changed when it should have.

It takes them about ten minutes to remember where Louis parked the truck. A few cats cross their way. Other than that, it seems like the whole town is sound asleep.

The both are quiet when they get into the car, Harry once again muted by the fears and thoughts running through his head. What will happen after this night? Will Louis ignore him again? Will they be friends like before? Will Louis just continue acting like the past three weeks, including their kiss, didn’t happen? 

Louis drives them out of town, following the narrow roads leading into the hills. Harry hears the crickets sing, lulling him to sleep.

 

 

He’s almost nodded off when the car suddenly comes to a halt, drowsy with sleep, blinking a few times before opening the door. Louis has already wandered on top of the hill, a backpack slung over his shoulders.

Harry stumbles after him, feels like that’s all he’s been doing his whole life, chasing after the boy with the caramel brown hair, the loud voice and blueblue eyes. 

They sit down on the grass, only a few inches of space in between them. 

The stars shine bright that night. Harry gazes up into the sky, startles when he feels Louis’ hand grasping his own.

“Did you know that there are over 400 billion stars in our galaxy alone?”

Harry shakes his head, even though Louis isn’t even looking at him. 

“When I was little I wanted to count them all,” Louis chuckles softly.

It’s not often that this side of him comes out. This quiet, smart, sometimes even insecure boy that is hidden underneath all the boldness, wit and sarcasm. Harry thinks maybe he’s the only one to ever see that side of his best friend. A warm feeling spreads from his core, making his toes tingle.

“That was before I even met you. I’ve always been fascinated by them, you know? Our sun is actually one of the smallest stars out there, but that is good because it means it will give the Earth life for a much longer time. The big stars are the ones that die the fastest. Ironic, isn’t it?” 

Louis threads his fingers through Harry’s. They lay quietly, unmoving, staring at the constellations splattered on the firmament above them.

Harry lets out a quiet breath. “It’s shining brighter again.”

“What?” Louis tilts his head to Harry’s side, lifting his other hand to stroke over Harry’s arm. 

Harry melts into the touch but fears it is nothing out of the ordinary for Louis; they’ve always been affectionate with each other.

“Our star. I thought it was fading lately.”

Louis’ eyes get wide, and his hand grips Harry tighter. “No, Haz, no it wasn’t. Look up; it’s still there, smiling down on us tiny humans.”

His thumb strokes over the back of Harry’s hand. They both point their stares up at the sky again. 

“It feels so out of this world, laying here, don’t you think? And still, we have to go back to our daily lives tomorrow. Eat breakfast. Play with my sisters. Help our mums cleaning up the kitchen. Ephemeral.”

“Like a shooting star.”

Just as the words leave Harry’s mouth, a flash of gold shoots over the sky. 

“Harry! Look!” Louis’ voice has gotten loud again, reflecting his amazement, his arm raised, pointing at the wonder they just witnessed.

“A shooting star” Harry’s in awe. 

“Make a wish, Haz”, Louis whispers, his voice unsteady.

So Harry does.

 

 

He isn’t sure how they fell asleep, but Harry is woken up by brightness. When he sits up, Louis is already awake, sitting cross legged, his hand still in Harry’s.

His profile looks gorgeous, shimmering in the faint light of the dawn. Harry reaches out to stroke over his cheek, but quickly retreats his hand when he realizes what he’s doing. He opens his mouth, wants to say sorry, but the only thing that comes out is “The stars have faded.” 

Louis nods hesitantly, eyes trained on the horizon “Yeah. But they’ll be back tomorrow night.” He turns to look at Harry, a serious look adorning his features. 

“I won’t leave you, Haz. I never did in the first place. I just…” He sighs “I needed some time to think.”

Harry waits for him to continue, fiddling with the hem of his hoodie.

“I wanted to spend last night with you as my best friend because a lot of things are going to change, now. It will be different, probably difficult. But you need to know that I will always be there for you.”

The look he gives Harry is pleading, and for a second it feels like he’s the young, awkward one, praying for Harry to take the hint. 

“Does that mean I can kiss you again?” Harry’s voice is rough, tainted with a quiet disbelief.

“Yes.” The word is a mere whisper, but it’s enough.

Harry almost launches at him, and soon enough he feels Louis’ soft, thin lips on his. He can taste Louis’ sweet, hot breath as it mixed with his own. He feels Louis’ hand gripping his neck as he pulls them closer.

Kissing Louis feels even better the second time and Harry has to hold back a moan. Soon the older boy traces his bottom lip with his tongue, and Harry’s gone with two flicks of Louis’ tongue. 

By the time they stop snogging, the sun has started to rise behind the hills. Harry feels giggly and so, so happy, and he snuggles close to Louis, fitting himself under the arm of his best friend – or boyfriend, hopefully – and letting his head drop onto Louis’ shoulder.

Louis flinches when Harry touches his arm, which causes the younger boy to let out a giggle.

“Right” Louis fingers at the foil stuck on his forearm “I got a tattoo last night” 

“Yeah, a stickman.” Harry is still giggling, and Louis tenderly slaps his face.

“Shut up, you.” But then he joins Harry’s laughter, and their voices get carried away by the wind.

  

 

It’s 10 am when Anne goes to check up on her son, who is usually an early riser, but apparently not even up yet. She’s only mildly surprised when she finds her neighbour’s seventeen year-old son wrapped up in bed with her own fifteen year-old. She hides a chuckle behind her hand. It’s was only a matter of time.

A bit more surprising is that Louis is here, when he should be at his grandparents’ house in Brighton. But then again, that explains why there is an unfamiliar truck parked in her driveway. She shakes her head, smiling to herself and deciding to let the boys stay asleep for a little bit longer. 

Harry raises his head slightly when she closes the door, his sleep disturbed by the footsteps in the hallway. He groans, and accidentally hits Louis when he tries to grab his phone from the nightstand. 

“Ouch,” protests the mass that is Louis, making Harry grin. Louis is in his bed. Louis Tomlinson kissed him again. His cheeks almost hurt from smiling too much.

“Morning,” the older boy yawns, sitting up, hair wild, eyes still drowsy, looking at Harry fondly. They only shrugged of their tops before falling into bed when they got back, both boys almost dead on their feet, so now they are only wearing their jeans.

“Hey Lou.” Harry checks the time, then plops down on Louis’ lap, pecking his lips, pressing kisses on his cheeks, his perfectly arched eyebrows, his sharp cheekbones and his lips again.

He can feel Louis smile. 

They kiss until they are out of breath.

Louis traces invisible patterns on Harry’s naked back. “Hey Haz?”

“Hm?” 

“For the record, I love you too.”

And yeah, it is pretty fair to say that Harry Styles has never been that happy ever before.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://headband-husbands.tumblr.com)


End file.
